Electrical connection means



Dec. 29, 1936. H. A. DOUGLAS `r 2,066,144

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS Filed .my a, 1955 SH 4 'zal Hmsszg A Douglas AJ T o QNLTS Patented Bec. 29, 1936 PAT-'r cris 12 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical connection means, such as may be embodied in means for receiving plug connections and more particularly for receiving electrical incandescent lamps. In

its more specific aspects my invention relates to means for adapting plug connections or incandescent lamps for use in socket means larger than the plug connections or lamps. The principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved electrical connection means of these types. In the drawing accompanying this specification, and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume. In the draw- Figure l is a longitudinal section of one embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

with the lamp removed, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Figure l, disassembled, the lamp be ing fragmentarily shown.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the connection means comprises a metallic socket shell I0 here shown as of cylindrical form, provided with an integral annular flange I I Which may serve as an abutment in mounting the shell. The shell may be mounted and/or electrically connected in any suitable manner (not shown) Disposed slidably within the shell IU is an insulating disc I2 having a central aperture I3 through which the metallic stripped end portion ii of an insulated conductor l5 is disposed. The end I5 of the insulation of the conductor I5 is here shown as abutting one face of the insulating disc I2, and the end of the metallic portion I 4 of the conductor is shown as spread over the other side of the disc and covered with sol-der to form a contact Il. The right hand end of the shell I3, as viewed in Figure l, is open, but has its margin turned radially inwardly to serve as an abutment I3 for an insulating disc IS having a central aperture 2D through Which the insulated conductor I5 freely passes.

rounding the conductor l5 and disposed within the shell IE! between the insulating discs I2, I9 is a helical spring 2l which biases the insulating disc I9 toward the right and the insulated disc I2 toward the left.

An adapter 22,.here shown as in the form of a generally cylindrical plug, ntting slidably within the shell I0, comprises a comparatively heavy cylindrical portion 23 provided with a concentric cylindrical aperture 2li adapted to receive Sur-V another plug, in this instance a base 25 of an incandescent electric lamp 26. At the right hand en'd, as viewed in Figure l, the cylindrical aperture 2s is counter-sunk by a larger cylindrical aperture 2l, in turn counter-sunk by a still larg- L5 er cylindrical aperture 28 forming a shoulder 29 in abutment with which is an insulating disc 30. The insulating disc 3U is held in abutment with the shoulder 29 by turning the margin 3| of the right hand end of the adapter 22 radially inward- 16 ly against the right hand face of the insulating disc 30. The insulating disc 30 is provided with a central aperture 32 through which a generally cylindrical conducting member 33 is slidably disposed. The right hand end of the conducting is member 33 is flared outwardly somewhat to form a flange 34 sufliciently large to prevent the conducting member 33 from passing through the aperture 32 in the insulating Vdisc 30. The left hand end of the conducting member 33 is provided with a somewhat larger frustro-conical outwardly ilaring flange 35, which also prevents the conducting member 33 from passing through the aperture 32 in the insulating disc 3l). The end of the conducting member 33, having the flange 25,

34, is adapted to engage the contact I'I.

The shell Ill and the adapter 22 are constructed to make bayonet connection with each other and to that end the shell I 0 is here shown as provided with a pair of bayonet slots 36, 31, each slot 30 having an axially extending portion 38 and a circumferentially extending portion 39, Veach circumferentially extending portion 39 also being formed to provide a bayonet seat 40. The adapter 22 is provided with a pair of diametrically op- 35 posite pins 4I, 42 adapted to pass through the longitudinally extending portions 33 of the bayonet slots 36, 3l, and, by turning of the adapter 22 to become seated in the bayonet seats 40.

The adapter 22 is also provided with a pair of 40 diametrically opposite bayonet slots 43, 44, each of the slots having a longitudinally extending portion 45 and a circumferentially extending p01'- tion 45, each circumferentially extending portion 33 being formed to provide a Vbayonet seat 45 :il for pins 48, i9 provided on a shell 50 oo nstituting part of the lamp base 25. The diameter generally deiining the diametrically opposite bayonet slots 43, 44 is in this instance at an angle to the diameter generally dening the pins 4I, 50 32. The lamp base 25Vis provided with a. central contact 5I adapted to engage the left hand end of theY conducting member 33.

The adapter 22 is here shown as further provided with a projection, in this instance a pin Y j 52 xed Ain arecess inY and Yprojecting `a prede- AVtermined desired amountV from the outer periphery of the adapter 22, The pin 52 is shown in Figures l and 2 disposed inthe longitudinally extending portion 38 of the'bayonet slot 36 ini the shell Ill'.` The pin 52'is1thusspacfed circum- Y ferentially from the pin,4| ai distanceapproxi- Vmately equalj to the Ycircumferential `distance of the` bayonet seat 40 fromf'thercircumferential Qcenterof the .longitudinal portion 38 Vofthe bayonet slot 36. .The pinr52V is alsoshownas spaced axially fromrthe pin 4|. The left hand margin Y' of the pin V52, as Viewed Vin Figure 2,7'is shown Vas slightly beveled off to form a cam surface'53.ir

Theright hand margin ofthe pin, asviewed in Figure l, is also beveled olf slightly to 'form arcam surface 54. Thus, as here shown,lthe pin has two camY surfaces at right angles to each otherone, Y

pthe cam surface 53,'adapted to function when the adapterV 22 is rotated and the other, the cam sur# V`face 54, adapted to function whenthe adapterf22YV ,isV moved longitudinally.V Y Y 'I'hefconnection'means isiassembled and op"V Veratesas follows. -Assuming that the insulating discY |42 `with itsjattached conductor I5, the in- Y sulatingV disc I9, and the spring 2| have been Y Vassembled with the shell l0 as shown in Figure 1, Y

the adapter '22 Vis inserted in the shell l0 with Y' the pins 4|, 42KA in registry with therlongitudinal ,portions V38 of the bayonet slots `36, 31Y in the Yshell |IJ.- Continued Yinserting movement causes;

" Y the righthand end or the conducting member 3,3

e V:permitting furtherY entry of the adapter 22 into f $14)V to `engage the contact/I1 thereby compressing theV spring 2| untiltrhe'cam surface '54 on the pin: 52v comes `-into engagement with the inner 'A peripheral 'left hand terminal edge 55 of ,the` shell.'V Further inserting movement causes the Y camrsurface 5 4lto slightlyilex the shell Vthereby the shell," the radially outerend of Ytheepin v52 sliding longitudinally along the innerp'eriphery Y of :the shell'llll.` When the adapterf22 reaches ,Y the'position inwhichtherpins 4|, 42 are circum- Vferentially opposite the circumferential portions 39:01 the b'ayo'netslots: 36, 31 the adapter mayV ibe turned about its axisV tolbring the pins 4|, 42

VVVontcrthe, bayonet seats40 VofVY the bayonet'slots Such Vturning movement *causes the Y the insulating disc 3|)V carried by the adapter 22,

e The pins 41, V42 of theadapter 22 are thus'fbiased V' Y. against the seats 48Vof the bayonet slots-"36, 31.'

i' 'I'he'base 25`of thelamp26 mayno'w be fin'- sertedin the cylindrical Yap`erture24inthe adapt- 1 Y er `22,-the' contactV 5| onthe'base engaging the Y left handV end of the conductingmember` 33 and moving'theiconducting member; 33` against the biasof the spring 2| into the position shown in.. Figure 1, in vrwhich thepins 48, 49'on thejlamp base'haverbeenturned onto the bayonetseats 41 .of the bayonet'slots 43, 44 in the adapter 22, f' vIn itheposition of ;therparts Vshown in Figure l;

fthe ange 34 has been moved out oi'co'ntactwith r 1 the insulating disc. 30, butnow the. pinsf4l,Y 42

of ther-adapter22=are biased against the seats40 of the bayonet Vslots 36,31 by reason of the fact that-'the conducting member 33 biases the pins 48,48 onthe lampbase 25 against theseats-41 VV2,066,1e4

of the Vbayonet slots 43, 44 of the adapterV 22 and therefore biases the adapter 22 towardY the left as viewed in FigureY 1.V Y

It will of coursebe ,understoodthaa if desired,

,thev lamp 26. maybe assembled first with the adapter 22 and Ythen the adapter 22 and lamp V26 assembled Ywithfrthe shell. Il).V Y

Assuming that the parts are in the'position Vshown inFigure 1- and it'is desired torremove l Y ,thelampV 26 only, leavinggtheadapter 22 in the Vshell |0th'e lamp 26 is pushed 'toward the right` Y j to unseat the. pins 48, 49,7Qand turned and* with- Adrawn from the aperture 24 inthe usual manner.

Pushing the` lamp toward'the'right to unseat the pins 48, 49,'may `also unseat from the seatsA" Y the pins 4|, 42 of the adapter, and, in any event,

will remove from the pins 4|,-42 the biasing action of the spring 2|. However, thepins 4|,'` 42 are,:under these'conditions, maintained in axial alinement with the'seats 40 by V-thefpinr52, so that when the lamp'26 is removed theY spring 2|VVV Y VYwill cause the flange 34 to engage theinsulating disc` 30, thus again Ybiasing the pinsf4|,r42iof the adapter 22 against the seats 40. f f

Any counterclockwise turning movement of the adapter (as viewed in'lFigure 2)V which may be f produced merely V,by thermovements necessaryY lto remove the lamp26 fromfthe adapter isinsufiij cient to overcomethe resistance to turning of the 'adapter'byV reason of engagement ofthe cam surface 53 withthe left `hand side ofthe longitudinal portionv 38 of the bayonet slotA 36. VFor the foregoing reasons, removal of'the lamp .26- y Y leaves the adapter 22 in operative"assembled-position with theshell I0.V v Y' However, the adapterr22 may be removed from V the shell l0 by pushing'the adapterV toward the rightya's viewed'in Figurekvl, thereby unseating the pins 4|, 472, and: then Vturning the adapter'22 counterclockwise,V as Vviewed injFigure 2, with suflicient turning-moment to cause the cam sur?V `face 53 to` ilex theshell .l0 so` that the radially:vr outer end of the pin 52 movesV circumferentially Y in contact withrthe inner periphery oftheshell I0.v VVSuch rotative movement of the adapter? 22 is Vcontinued untilth'e pins4|'42 are in alinement Ywith Vthelongltudinal portion 38 ofthe bayonet withdrawn from the shell |8`.V

It will be understoodthat where reference'is slots 36, 31', whereupon the adapter'221may'be made to'ilexing of the shellV 0 `by the pin 52,"such` flexing may be very slight while still accomplishing the desired results; l Thus the shell |70 may be made of comparatively heavy stock and yet ex suiliciently 'to permit 'the' hereinbefore described Yrelative*'movements ofthe pin 52 to take place.

From the foregoingV it will ybe apparent to thoseY skilled in theart that the illustrated.embodimentV Vfof my inventionprovides a newandrimproved electrical connection means, readily and com veniently constructed'and assembled,V` and ac 1 cordingly, accomplishes at leastthe principal o'b V ject of my invention. fOnzthe other hand, it alsoV will be Obvious to those 'skilled inthe-art that the illustrated embodiment ofv my invention may be variously changed Yand mrliilel,v orV Vfeatures thereof, singlyor collectively, embodied'in'other Y I Y combinations than thoseillustrated, without de parting'from the spirit of myinventien,or'sacrnV cing allofrtheadvantages thereof, and that accordingly, the-disclosure herein is .illustrative only, and my. inventionxfi's I claim: Y

V1. Incombination: socketmeans providinga ,Y VVsocket of predetermined size; adapter means Yfor 1.01; limited thereto. Y

wf Y

receiving electrical plug connectionV means ofa size smaller than said predetermined' size; a movable contact for said adapter'means; bayonet connection means, having an element provided on said socket means and an element provided'on said adapter means, for connecting saidl adapter means and said socketimeans; andr a single resilient means for biasing said bayonet connection elements into seated'relation and for biasing said movable contact'.

2. In combination: socket means providing a socket; electrical plug connection means for reception in said socket means; bayonet connection means, having an element provided on said socket means and an element provided on said plug connection means, for connecting said plug connection means and said socket means; holding means for releasably holding said bayonet connection means against unintentional unseating rotation; and said holding means comprising means for causing iiexure of said socket means upon unseating rotation.

3. In combination: socket'means providing a socket; electrical plug connection means for reception in said socket means; bayonet connection means, having an element provided on said socket means and an element provided on said plug connection means, for connecting said plug connection means and said socket means; holding means for holding said bayonet connection means against unseating rotation; and said holding means comprising means for causing flexure of said socket means during assembly of said bayonet connection elements.

e. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; adapter means, providing a socket, and having an element of a bayonet connection means; electrical plug connection means carrying a contact and being of a size smaller than said predetermined size, said plug connection means being receivable by said adapter socket and having a bayonet connection element complementary to said socket element; a movable contact for said adapter means, said movable contact being connectible to an electric source and being operable to contact said plug connection contact; bayonet connection means,

having an element provided on said adapter means and an element provided on said socket means, for connecting said adapter means and said socket means; and a single resilient means operable to urge said movable contact into engagement with the contact carried by said plug connection means, and thereby yieldably maintain said connection means in cooperable relation with said adapter means and said adapter means in cooperable relation with said socket means.

5. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; adapter means for receiving an electrical plug connection means of a size smaller than said predetermined size, and having means cooperable with means carried by said connection means whereby a connection may be eiected by relative movement between said connection means and said adapter means; connection means whereby said adapter means may be connected to said socket means solely by relative movem-ent of said two means; and means for holding said adapter means and said socket means connected when said plug connection means is removed from said adapter means by relative movement.

6. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; adapter means for receiving an electrical plug connection of a size smaller than said predetermined size, said plug being connectible to said adapter means by moving said plug relative to said adapter means; said adapter means being connectible to said socket means by moving said adapter means relative to said socket means; and means co'operable with said adapter means and said socket means so that a greater force is required to connect and disconnect said socket means and said adapter means than is required to connect and disconnect said plug means and said adapter means.

7. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; adapter means for receiving an electrical plug connection of a size smaller than said predetermined size; means whereby said adapter means may be connected to said socket means solely by relative movement of said two means; `and means for releasably hold'- ing said two means against unintentional releasing movement, said holding means being moved to latched positionwhen said ,adapter means and said socket means are relativelyv moved to connected position. v

8. In combination:` socket means providing. a socket; electrical Vplugr connection'means for re-V ception in said socket means; bayonet connection means, including a bayonet slot element and a bayonet projection element, one element being provided on said socket, and the other element being provided on said plug connection means, said elements being cooperable to connect said plug connection means and said socket means; and a projection provided on the part carrying the bayonet projection, said projection being out of alignment with the axial part of said bayonet slot during initial connecting movement of said plug connection means and said socket means, but being disposed within the axial part of said bayonet slot after connection of said plug connection means and said socket means has been eiTected, said projection being engageable with the margins of the axial part of said bayonet slot to releasably hold said plug connection means and said socket means against unintentional releasing movement.

9. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; adapter means, receivable within the socket of said socket means, and providing a socket of a size smaller than said predetermined size; means carried by said adapter means and said socket means, constructed and arranged so that said adapter means and said socket means are connectible and disconnectible by relative movement; plug means receivable within the socket of said adapter means; means carried by said plug means and said adapter means, constructed and arranged so that said plug means and said adapter means are connectible and disconnectible by relative movement; and means constructed and arranged with respect to the aforementioned connection means, so that a greater force is required to connect and disconnect said socket means and said adapter means than is required to connect and discon-r nect said plug means and said adapter means.

l0. In combination: socket means providing a socket of predetermined size; movable contact means associated with said socket means; adapter means for receiving electrical plug connection means of a size smaller than said predetermined size; movable contact means associated with said means; said parts being constrcted and arranged `to connect said adapter means and saidsocket mean'syand a single resilient means, constructed Vand'arrangedto urge saidsocket contact means and said adapter contact means to electrical engagementwhenf'said. adapterVVV means and said socket means are connected, Y Y Y V"11. In Vrcomloination: socket means having' a resilientdeiining wall,y and providing a socket `oi?V j arpre'determinedsize; adapter means for receiv-H ing an electrical plug connection of a sizersrmaller Y than said predetermined size; and holdingrmeansl, V-whereby said adapter and Vsocket means maybe V connected together solely bysrelativemovement,

said holding 'meansV including, seats provided in V.saidsocket means, and aplurality of projection means provided Vonvsaid adapter means; VVat; Yleast t one, of said projectionmeans being constrli'ctedV vy Y and arranged to engage and causeexpansionof said resilient defining wallfhduringrai certain period of connection ofsaid socket means and said adapter"mean's,`anddnringthe nal period of connection said one vpr o 'lection means disengag- Y ing said defining wall causing'resilient contrac- 25` tion of said Adefining wall Vfrom its expanded rela- :tion so that said other projection means are urged Y 'Y Vto a positionin said seats with a snap action;4

12. In; combination: socket means having ya Aresilient expansiblefand-,contractible dening wall Y providing asocket of a predetermined size; adapt-Y Y er Jvmeans' Vfor receiving anelectrical plug 'connection Yof`V ay size smaller thanY said jpredeterniined socket meansmaybeconnected together solely by 'relative movement, saidlholding means'inV 'c1uding, bayonet slots yleading tcseats in *saidV `Y size; holding meanslwhereby saidadapter and if'v socket means,v and-bayonet pins andc'ammeaainsY on said adapter means; said cam means, when Vsaid adapter means is moyedinto connecting reVV lation with said socketmeans, ibeingconstructed bayonet 'slots-"at the'sa'me time" said bayonet *pinsf aremoved to aposition in Vsaid seats. Y'

' 'HARRY AfboUdLssiVv Y 

